This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for simulating moving objects and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for simulating the passage of railroad cars over a particular section of railroad track.
Various systems have been developed for identifying moving railroad cars or other vehicles. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,417,231; 2,541,310; 3,543,007 and 3,731,067. As disclosed in those patents, labels are encoded with a plurality of reflective stripes that represent data pertinent to particular railroad cars and are then affixed to the sides thereof. As a railroad car passes a track-side optical scanning unit, the coded pattern of a retained label is sensed and translated into electrical signals which are appropriately processed and decoded to obtain the information encoded on the label. Although the use of such scanning identification systems is quite promising, certain problems do exist. For example, because of the size and operating costs of the railroad equipment involved, field testing of such scanning systems is both expensive and burdensome. These factors have hindered both advanced development and repair of scanning railroad car identification systems.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a test system for simulating the movement of rail cars by an identification scanning system.